Norton Priory
Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery
Pembroke College ROH Page 238
Medal Index Card
James Cartmell Dennison Brown was the youngest son of Sir Frank Brown, of Norton Priory, Stockton-on-Tees. D.L., and his wife, Charlotte, daughter of John Hedley, of South Hetton, Durham, born in Stockton-on-Tees 2nd September 1893.
[Sir Frank Brown was a High Sherriff of County Durham and he was given the Freedom of the Borough of Stockton on Tees on 29th April 1907. Brown, Sir Frank, Knt.— Cr. 1913. Son of James Brown, Esq., of Stockton, Co. Durham, who died 1901, by Mary, daughter of the late William Emmerson Dennison, Esq., of Darlington ; A. 1857 ; married 1888 Charlotte, daughter of the late John Hedley, Esq., of South Hetton, Co. Durham. Sir Frank Brown, who was educated at Stockton Grammar School, is a Chartered Accountant, a J.P., and D.L. for Co. Durham, and a J.P. for the N. Riding of Yorkshire. — Norton Priory, Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham; Agglethorpe Hall, Middleham, Yorkshire ; Reform Club, S.W.; County Club, Durham.]
James was educated at Rugby (1907), and Pembroke College, Cambridge (1912). In 1911 he was a boarder at Rugby.
On the outbreak of war he at once applied for a commission, and was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant to the 1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on the 28th August 1914. He went to France on the 17th April 1915 for divisional training, but consequent on the German attack with asphyxiating gas his division was at once pushed to the front and engaged, and took part in the fighting around Ypres on the 23rd and 25th April, 1915.
On Sunday, 25th April, he was wounded twice. He was first treated at Poperinghe Hospital, then removed to Hazebrouck, where he died on the 27th April 1915.
His Colonel wrote:-He was one of the best officers we had, and did his duty to the last. On the day he was hit he had done valuable reconnaissance work in the morning, and when hit, had taken part in a very good little attack. Although wounded in two places, he showed his pluck by returning unhelped to our lines. It is only by such examples as this that we may hope to conquer the enemy and keep up the tradition of this country.
A brother officer also wrote:-We all liked him very much, he was such a cheerful fellow, and so conscientious that I knew anything entrusted to him, however slight or wearisome, would be properly carried out.
The Medical wrote: He was a tremendous favourite with us all, and I can say I never had to attend to a pluckier lad.
His elder brother, Lieutenant Frank D. Brown, of the same battalion, was wounded near Ypres in May 1915, and is again (1916) on active service.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
In his will dated 1st September 1915, he left £1457 11s 11d to his father Sir Frank Brown.
Acknowledgements: Rev. David Youngson
He is remembered at Norton on N68.02 and N68.04 and in Stockton in S138.18a and in S138.35 page 1
